Behrman's presence felt through award

She might be missing, but she is definitely not forgotten.\nJill Behrman, a 19-year-old who had just finished her freshman year at IU, was reported missing nearly a year ago. Despite the Bloomington native's absence, Jill's presence can be felt throughout the community. From Run to the Endzone to the First United Methodist Church, many groups are uniting behind this tragedy. \n"Our congregation wanted to do something to honor Jill," said Reverend Howard Bowles of First United Methodist, the church the Behrman family attends. \nThe church is establishing a scholarship in Behrman's honor through donations from congregation members. Bowles said the scholarship offers a chance to tell Behrman's story, one which has had a "powerful impact" on the parish since her disappearance. Every Sunday before services, a candle of remembrance is lit that allows her memory to live on. \nRemembering Behrman is an activity taken seriously by more than one group from the area.\nAround the time of Valentine's Day, the staff of Camp Brosius, where Behrman was going to work this past summer, replaced the fading yellow ribbons around town, Jill's mother, Marilyn, said. She also said her family still receives many words of support from members of the community.\n"I want to reach out and help the family," said senior Nicole Howell, recipient of the first annual Jill Behrman Emerging Leader Scholarship, sponsored by the Division of Recreational Sports. Howell said of meeting Behrman in the past that "her smile never really left her face."\nDirector Kathy Bayless said the scholarship honors a volunteer, employee or participant involved with the Division of Recreational Sports. It was created with funds from the 2000 Run for the Endzone. Bayless said Behrman represents qualities that the community should "recognize and reinforce," such as character and citizenship.\nApplicants for the scholarship face strict requirements, Bayless said. The Behrman family selects the winners, who are recognized in the Division of Recreational Sports Spring Banquet. This year, 48 other awards -- 12 as monetary scholarships -- were handed out.\nAside from these scholarships and two sponsored by the Graduate Women in Business group, many student associations have approached the family asking to help. \nOne of the options for the student groups is to raise money for the Commission for Personal Safety. Personal safety is another issue brought to light by the disappearance, and one project the Commission wants in the future is promoting safety to freshmen during orientation. \n"The personal safety issues are very big for me... I still see so many people, male and female, out walking, jogging, biking alone or with earphones on," Marilyn said. She and her husband, Eric, worry that being distracted makes a person more vulnerable.\n"It's really important that, no matter when or where, you are just more aware of your surroundings," Marilyn said.\nMany members of the community have been touched by the loss of Behrman, including members of the school where her brother Brian now works, Marilyn said.\n"The kindergarten teacher there came to Brian the other day and said that one of her kindergartners, just kind of out of the blue, said something to her like, 'You know that girl that we haven't seen for a long time?... I just wonder if she misses her mommy and daddy."